Cigarette Package Coding System and Associated Method

ABSTRACT

A package coding system for a cigarette manufacturing process is provided. An imprinting device imprints an alphanumeric code on each of a series of cigarette packages. A conveyor device conveys the cigarette packages in a feed direction. An inspection device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and inspects the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, and thus comprises a defective cigarette package. A removal device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and is configured to be in communication with the inspection device. The removal device is configured to remove the defective cigarette package from the series of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in response to identification thereof by the inspection device. An associated method is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a cigarette manufacturingprocess and, more particularly, to a cigarette package coding system andassociated method.

2. Description of Related Art

Many mass-produced products are required to incorporate various codingschemes, for example, for regulatory purposes or for commercialtracking. Often, such coding must be marked directly on the productand/or on the package containing the product, and the accuracy andrepeatability of the application of such coding is generally of highimportance in forming a commercializable product. That is, if the codingis not applied in a particular manner, the product may be deemed to be“defective” and not suitable for sale. Accordingly, in a high speedmanufacturing process, the application of the coding to theproducts/packages must be accomplished in an accurate and repeatablemanner, and desirably at a high throughput speed.

However, such printing of the code on the product(s) in a high speedmanufacturing process may be at risk of, for example, low print quality,uneven printing, misalignment of the code, a substantive error in thecode (i.e., the wrong code), or other condition(s) deemed to comprise adefect. In such instances, it may be critical for such defects to bedetected, wherein such defects may desirably be both qualitative as wellas substantive, and for the product with the defectively-printed code tobe removed from the manufacturing process, as soon as possible after thecode is printed on the product, before the defective product can befurther processed. It may also be desirable for the defective product tobe removed from the manufacturing process without disturbing oraffecting other non-defective products, and for the process tocompensate or adjust for the absence of the defective product, onceremoved. It may also be desirable to have the capability of analyzingthe defects, as well as patterns or trends in the defects, detectedduring the manufacturing process so as to, for example, allow rootcauses and remedial action to be determined, or to halt the processbefore too many defective products are produced. It may also bedesirable for such a system and method to be installed in newmanufacturing processes, or retrofitted into existing manufacturingprocesses, in a relatively simple and straightforward arrangement andconfiguration.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The above and other needs are addressed by aspects of the presentdisclosure which, according to one particular aspect, provides a packagecoding system implemented in a cigarette manufacturing process. Such asystem comprises an imprinting device configured to imprint analphanumeric code on each of a series of cigarette packages. A conveyordevice is configured to convey the cigarette packages in a feeddirection. An inspection device is operably engaged with the conveyordevice, and is configured to inspect the alphanumeric code imprinted oneach cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device to determinewhether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in the imprintedalphanumeric code, wherein any of the cigarette packages including thedefect comprises a defective cigarette package. A removal device isoperably engaged with the conveyor device and is configured to be incommunication with the inspection device. The removal device is furtherconfigured to remove the defective cigarette package from the series ofcigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in response toidentification thereof by the inspection device, in some instances,without interacting with the cigarette packages preceding and subsequentto the defective cigarette package in the series of cigarette packages.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method ofverifying package coding in a cigarette manufacturing process. Such amethod comprises imprinting an alphanumeric code on each of a series ofcigarette packages, using an imprinting device, and conveying thecigarette packages in a feed direction using a conveyor device. Thealphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package conveyed by theconveyor device is then inspected, using an inspection device operablyengaged therewith, to determine whether any of the cigarette packagesincludes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, wherein any of thecigarette packages including the defect comprises a defective cigarettepackage. The defective cigarette package is then removed from the seriesof cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device, using a removaldevice operably engaged with the conveyor device and configured to be incommunication with the inspection device, in response to identificationthereof by the inspection device, in some instances, without interactingwith the cigarette packages preceding and subsequent to the defectivecigarette package in the series of cigarette packages.

The above and other aspects thus address the identified needs andprovide advantages as otherwise detailed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the disclosure in general terms, reference willnow be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarilydrawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a package coding system in acigarette manufacturing process, according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of an exemplary cigarette package illustratingpackage coding, according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of an imprinting device and an inspection deviceimplemented in a package coding system of a cigarette manufacturingprocess, according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a removal device for a defective cigarettepackage, as implemented in a package coding system of a cigarettemanufacturing process, according to one aspect of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a removal device for a defectivecigarette package, and an associated handling device, as implemented ina package coding system of a cigarette manufacturing process, accordingto one aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not allaspects of the disclosure are shown. Indeed, this disclosure may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the aspects set forth herein; rather, these aspects are provided sothat this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Likenumbers refer to like elements throughout.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a package coding system implemented ina cigarette manufacturing process, according to one aspect of thepresent disclosure, the system being generally indicated by the numeral100. Such a cigarette manufacturing process often includes the transportor conveyance of multiple cigarette packages 200, by a conveyor device300, in a feed direction 50, wherein each cigarette package may be a“soft pack” or a hard carton, and includes a plurality of cigarettesmoking articles packaged therein. In so conveying the cigarettepackages 200, a series of such cigarette packages 200 is defined,wherein the packages are all arranged in a particular orientation andare disposed adjacent to each other. That is, any selected cigarettepackage in the series will have a preceding cigarette package and asubsequent cigarette package disposed adjacent thereto, with no spacingtherebetween, in the feed direction 50.

In particular aspects, the present disclosure may include an imprintingdevice 400 configured to imprint an alphanumeric code 500 on each of aseries of cigarette packages 200 (see, e.g., FIG. 2). The alphanumericcode 500 may comprise, for example, a brand, a date, a lot number, afilter type, a tobacco rod type, a serial number, or any other type ofcode as necessary or desired. The imprinting device 400 may comprise,for example, an inkjet printing device, a laser printing device, athermal printing device, or any other suitable type of printing deviceas necessary or desired. In one particular instance, such an imprintingdevice 400 may comprise, for example, a Model VideoJet UHS or 178Iprinting device manufactured by Videojet Technologies Inc. of Wood Dale,Ill. In some aspects, the imprinting device 400 may comprise orotherwise be in communication with a computer device 450 forcommunicating the alphanumeric code 500 to the imprinting device 400 forimprinting thereof on one or more of the cigarette packages 200 in theseries.

An inspection device 600 may be operably engaged with the conveyordevice 300, downstream in the feed direction with respect to theimprinting device 400, and configured to inspect the alphanumeric code500 imprinted on each cigarette package 200 conveyed by the conveyordevice 300 to determine whether any of the cigarette packages 200includes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code 500. Any suchcigarette packages including the defect may comprise, for example, adefective cigarette package 250. Such a defect in the imprintedalphanumeric code 500 may comprise, for example, low print quality,uneven printing, misalignment of the alphanumeric code 500, asubstantive error in the alphanumeric code (i.e., the wrong code), orother condition deemed to comprise a defect. In some instances, theinspection device 600 may be disposed in proximity (and downstream inthe feed direction) to the imprinting device 400. In other instances,the inspection device 600 and/or the imprinting device 400 may beadjustably supported and mounted so as to allow each component to besuitably aligned with the series of cigarette packages 200 to performthe respective functions. For example, the inspection device 600 and/orthe imprinting device 400 may be supported and mounted so as to haveadjustability along an x-, y-, and/or z-axis (shown, for example, inFIG. 3, as elements 410, 420, and 430, respectively, for the imprintingdevice 400) so as to be capable of being positioned, as necessary ordesired to accomplish the functions of the package coding system 100according to the present disclosure.

In some aspects of the disclosure, the inspection device 600 may beconfigured to execute an image processing procedure to analyze an image650 of the imprinted alphanumeric code 500 on each of the cigarettepackages 200 to determine whether any of the cigarette packages 200includes the defect. Accordingly, the inspection device 600 may compriseor otherwise include an image capturing device 625 such as, for example,a digital camera or video imaging device. Further, the inspection device600 may comprise or otherwise be in communication with a computerdevice, such as the computer device 450, wherein the computer device 450may be configured to analyze the image(s) 650 captured by the imagecapturing device 625, using an image processing procedure. In someaspects, the image processing procedure may be configured to analyze,for example, a location of the imprinted alphanumeric code 500 on eachof the cigarette packages 200 (as reflected in the images thereof), aprint quality of the imprinted alphanumeric code 500 on each of thecigarette packages 200, and a substantive content of the imprintedalphanumeric code 500 on each of the cigarette packages 200. In otheraspects, the inspection device 600 and/or image processing procedure maycomprise or otherwise be configured to implement a machine visionsystem. Such a machine vision system may be available as a Model RJRVision One [Cognex 5600] machine vision system manufactured by Integroof Salisbury, N.C. In some aspects, the inspection device 600 may thusbe configured to determine, for example, based upon parameterspre-programmed by an operator or otherwise established in connectionwith the cigarette manufacturing process, whether the examinedalphanumeric code 500 on any of the cigarette packages conveyed by theconveyor device 300 includes a defined defect. Further, in someinstances, an image of the alphanumeric code imprinted on each of thecigarette packages in the series may be displayed on a display, whilebeing analyzed by the inspection device 600 and/or during the imageprocessing procedure, in a manner such that the evaluation can bemonitored by an operator. For instance, the image of the alphanumericcode on the display may be overlaid with objective criteria (i.e.,location, font, print quality, substantive content) to which the code isbeing compared, in order to provide for manual monitoring of theevaluation.

In the event that a defect is determined (i.e., a defective cigarettepackage 250 is determined based upon the examination and evaluation ofthe alphanumeric code 500 thereon by the inspection device 600), thepackage coding system 100 may further include a removal device 700operably engaged with the conveyor device 300, downstream in the feeddirection with respect to the inspection device 600, and configured tobe in communication with the inspection device 600. In such instances,the removal device 700 may be further configured to remove the defectivecigarette package 250, as determined by the inspection device 600, fromthe series of cigarette packages 200 conveyed by the conveyor device300, in response to identification of the defective cigarette package250 by the inspection device 600. That is, in some aspects, theinspection device 600 may be configured to identify the defectivecigarette package 250 in the series of cigarette packages conveyed bythe conveyor device 300, and to direct the removal device 700 (i.e., viathe computer device 450) to interact with the defective cigarettepackage 250, when the defective cigarette package is in registrationtherewith, to remove the defective cigarette package 250 from the seriesof cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device 300. In particularinstances, the removal device 700 may be configured, for example, todirect a pressurized air charge substantially perpendicularly to thefeed direction of the conveyor device 300. In such instances, thepressurized air charge may be configured to interact with the defectivecigarette package 250, so as to direct the defective cigarette package250 out of the series of cigarette packages, without interacting withthe cigarette packages preceding 225 and subsequent to 230 the defectivecigarette package 250 in the series of cigarette packages. For example,a sufficient air charge at a suitably high pressure, released by theremoval device 700 and directed toward the defective cigarette package250 when the defective cigarette package 250 is in registrationtherewith, may be configured to urge the defective cigarette package 250out of the series of cigarette packages without disturbing or otherwiseaffecting the adjacent cigarette packages 225, 230 in the series (see,e.g., FIGS. 1 and 5).

In accomplishing the tracking of the defective cigarette package 250conveyed by the conveyor device 300 between the inspection device 600and the removal device 700, a synchronization device 800 may be operablyengaged with the inspection device 600, the conveyor device 300, theremoval device 700, and the computer device 450 (see, e.g., FIG. 1).Such a synchronization device 800 may be configured, for instance, todetermine a position of the defective cigarette package 250 conveyed bythe conveyor device 300, in response to the determination thereof by theinspection device 600, and to communicate the position to the removaldevice 700, so as to notify the removal device 700 of when the defectivecigarette package 250 is in registration therewith. For example, thenumber of cigarette packages disposed between the inspection device 600and the removal device 700 may be known. As such, upon determination ofa defective cigarette package by the inspection device 600, thesynchronization device 800 may be configured to notify the removaldevice 700 to remove the defective cigarette package 250 once the knownnumber of packages has been conveyed past the removal device 700. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the synchronizationdevice 800 may be configured in many different manners, as necessary ordesired.

In some aspects, the package coding system 100 may also include acollection device 750, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4, operablyengaged with the removal device 700 and the conveyor device 300, andconfigured to collect the defective cigarette package 250 removed fromthe series of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device 300.For example, the collection device 750 may comprise a deflector 760configured to translate the lateral motion of the defective cigarettepackage 250 to a vertical motion, wherein a receptacle 770 may bedisposed vertically adjacent to the deflector 760 to collect thedefective cigarette packages 200 for disposal or rework.

In so removing the defective cigarette package(s) 200 from the seriesbeing conveyed by the conveyor 300, using the pressurized air chargedelivered by the removal device 700, an open space 850 may remain in theseries for each such removal (see, e.g., FIG. 5). Accordingly, in someinstances, the package coding system 100 may further include a handlingdevice 900 operably engaged with the conveyor device 300 downstream ofthe removal device 700. The handling device 900 may be configured, forexample, to manipulate the series of cigarette packages so as toeliminate the open space therein due to removal of the defectivecigarette package 250 by the removal device 700. For instance, such ahandling device 900 may comprise a friction device configured anddisposed to interact with the cigarette packages being conveyed by theconveyor device 300, wherein the friction device would retain acigarette package (such that the cigarette package remains stationarywhile the conveyor device 300 continues to move in the feed direction50) until dislodged by subsequent cigarette packages in the series. Thatis, the friction device may be configured to retain a cigarette packageuntil it is dislodged by subsequent cigarette packages conveyed by theconveyor device 300, once the open space 850 caused by the removal of adefective cigarette package 250 is eliminated.

Since, some aspects of the package coding system 100 are directed towarddetermining defective products in a manufacturing process, it may benecessary or desirable to have the capability of eliminating orotherwise minimizing the occurrence of such defects in order to increasethe final production yield. As such, in some instances, the packagecoding system 100 may also include an analysis device 1000 (see, e.g.,FIG. 1) operably engaged with the inspection device 700 and/or thecomputer device 450, wherein the analysis device 1000 may be configuredto analyze the defective cigarette package(s) 200 determined by theinspection device 700, so as to further determine, for example, a defecttype associated with the defect and/or a cause of the defect. Forexample, the defect type may be incorrect substantive content caused byoperator input error. In other instances, the defect type may besubstandard print quality caused by a low ink level at a print head or amalfunctioning print head associated with the imprinting device 400. Ina further example, the defect may comprise an unacceptable location ofthe alphanumeric code on the cigarette package due to misalignment ofthe imprinting device 400. Accordingly, the analysis device 1000 may besuitably configured to determine the type or class of the detecteddefects, ascertain the root cause leading to the defect, and allow theroot cause to be addressed, before further defects are realized withinthe series of cigarette packages. In another aspect, it may be desirablefor the inspection device 600 and/or the analysis device 1000 todetermine patterns or trends in the detected defects, and to pause orhalt the manufacturing process (i.e., to allow the cause of the defectsto be corrected) when too many of the defects are detected or if thedefects are detected too frequently, so as to minimize or otherwiseprevent too many of the products from being deemed to be defective andthereby undesirably lowering process throughput.

Many modifications and other aspects of the disclosure set forth hereinwill come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosurepertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoingdescriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specificaspects disclosed and that modifications and other aspects are intendedto be included within the scope of the appended claims. Althoughspecific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic anddescriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed:
 1. A package coding system implemented in acigarette manufacturing process, said system comprising: an imprintingdevice configured to imprint an alphanumeric code on each of a series ofcigarette packages; a conveyor device configured to convey the cigarettepackages in a feed direction; an inspection device operably engaged withthe conveyor device and configured to inspect the alphanumeric codeimprinted on each cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device todetermine whether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in theimprinted alphanumeric code, any of the cigarette packages including thedefect being a defective cigarette package; and a removal deviceoperably engaged with the conveyor device and configured to be incommunication with the inspection device, the removal device beingfurther configured to remove the defective cigarette package from theseries of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in responseto identification thereof by the inspection device.
 2. A systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the inspection device is configured toidentify the defective cigarette package in the series of cigarettepackages conveyed by the conveyor device, and direct the removal deviceto interact with the defective cigarette package, when the defectivecigarette package is in registration therewith, to remove the defectivecigarette package from the series of cigarette packages conveyed by theconveyor device.
 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the removaldevice is configured to direct a pressurized air charge substantiallyperpendicularly to the feed direction of the conveyor device, thepressurized air charge being configured to interact with the defectivecigarette package, so as to direct the defective cigarette package outof the series of cigarette packages, without interacting with thecigarette packages preceding and subsequent to the defective cigarettepackage in the series of cigarette packages.
 4. A system according toclaim 3, further comprising a collection device operably engaged withthe removal device and the conveyor device and configured to collect thedefective cigarette package removed from the series of cigarettepackages.
 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the inspectiondevice is configured to execute an image processing procedure to analyzean image of the imprinted alphanumeric code on each of the cigarettepackages to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes thedefect.
 6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the image processingprocedure is configured to analyze one of a location of the imprintedalphanumeric code on each of the cigarette packages, a print quality ofthe imprinted alphanumeric code on each of the cigarette packages, and asubstantive content of the imprinted alphanumeric code on each of thecigarette packages.
 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein theinspection device further comprises a machine vision system.
 8. A systemaccording to claim 1, further comprising an analysis device operablyengaged with the inspection device, the analysis device being configuredto analyze the defective cigarette packages determined by the inspectiondevice to determine one of a defect type associated with the defect anda cause of the defect.
 9. A system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a handling device operably engaged with the conveyor devicedownstream of the removal device, the handling device being configuredto manipulate the series of cigarette packages so as to eliminate anopen space therein due to removal of the defective cigarette package bythe removal device.
 10. A system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a synchronization device operably engaged with the inspectiondevice, the conveyor device, and the removal device, the synchronizationdevice being configured to determine a position of the defectivecigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device, in response to thedetermination thereof by the inspection device, and to communicate theposition to the removal device so as to notify the removal device ofwhen the defective cigarette package is in registration therewith.
 11. Amethod of verifying package coding in a cigarette manufacturing process,said method comprising: imprinting an alphanumeric code on each of aseries of cigarette packages using an imprinting device; conveying thecigarette packages in a feed direction using a conveyor device;inspecting the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette packageconveyed by the conveyor device, using an inspection device operablyengaged therewith, to determine whether any of the cigarette packagesincludes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, any of thecigarette packages including the defect being a defective cigarettepackage; and removing the defective cigarette package from the series ofcigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device, using a removaldevice operably engaged with the conveyor device and configured to be incommunication with the inspection device, in response to identificationthereof by the inspection device.
 12. A method according to claim 11,further comprising identifying the defective cigarette package in theseries of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device, with theinspection device, and directing the removal device to interact with thedefective cigarette package, when the defective cigarette package is inregistration therewith, to remove the defective cigarette package fromthe series of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device.
 13. Amethod according to claim 11, further comprising directing a pressurizedair charge substantially perpendicularly to the feed direction of theconveyor device, with the removal device, the pressurized air chargebeing configured to interact with the defective cigarette package, so asto direct the defective cigarette package out of the series of cigarettepackages, without interacting with the cigarette packages preceding andsubsequent to the defective cigarette package in the series of cigarettepackages.
 14. A method according to claim 13, further comprisingcollecting the defective cigarette package removed from the series ofcigarette packages using a collection device operably engaged with theremoval device and the conveyor device.
 15. A method according to claim11, further comprising executing an image processing procedure, inassociation with the inspection device, to analyze an image of theimprinted alphanumeric code on each of the cigarette packages todetermine whether any of the cigarette packages includes the defect. 16.A method according to claim 15, wherein executing an image processingprocedure further comprises analyzing one of a location of the imprintedalphanumeric code on each of the cigarette packages, a print quality ofthe imprinted alphanumeric code on each of the cigarette packages, and asubstantive content of the imprinted alphanumeric code on each of thecigarette packages.
 17. A method according to claim 11, whereininspecting the alphanumeric code further comprises inspecting thealphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package, using aninspection device comprising a machine vision system.
 18. A methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising analyzing the defectivecigarette packages determined by the inspection device, using ananalysis device operably engaged with the inspection device, todetermine one of a defect type associated with the defect and a cause ofthe defect.
 19. A method according to claim 11, further comprisingmanipulating the series of cigarette packages, using a handling deviceoperably engaged with the conveyor device downstream of the removaldevice, so as to eliminate an open space therein due to removal of thedefective cigarette package by the removal device.
 20. A methodaccording to claim 11, further comprising determining a position of thedefective cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device, in responseto the determination thereof by the inspection device, using asynchronization device operably engaged with the inspection device, theconveyor device, and the removal device, and communicating the positionto the removal device so as to notify the removal device of when thedefective cigarette package is in registration therewith.